Means for removal of deposits from within a spark plug



L. CHALUP Nov. 12, 1963 MEANS FOR REMOVAL OF DEPOSITS FROM WITHIN ASPARK PLUG Filed Feb. 26, 1962 LUDWIG CHALUP.

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ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,110,051 WANS FUR REMGVAL 0F DEPGSITS FRQM WITHINA SPARK PLUG Ludwig Chalup, 612 Glenmont Drive, Solana Beach, Calif.Filed Feb. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 175,623 3 Claims. ((11. -1641) Thisinvention relates generally to an article of manufacture for use in theremoval of deposits from within a spark plug.

Spark plugs are generally employed in internal combustion engine usageto provide a high intensity electric spark within the combustion chamberto ignite combustible material therein contained. During the process ofthe operation of the spark plug, some of the cornbustible materials areeither ionized or otherwise decomposed and deposited within the sparkplug, particularly on the walls opposite the insulator portion of thespark plug within its body. Such deposits, which may include carbon andlead oxides of various kinds, and other deposits, resulting from the useof the plug in the combustion zone, tend to build up on the internalportion of the spark plug. This build-up is deleterious to the operationof the spark plug. The build-up normally causes two importantdifiiculties in its operation. One of these is undue heating of thespark plug body as the deposit buildup prevents the rapid distributionof heat to the rest of the motor through the spark plug body. The otherresults when suflicient deposits have built up, to cause electricalshorting of the plug so that the plug no longer acts as an igniter, butinstead transmits the current flow directly through its body, to ground,thus failing to ignite the combustible material.

There have been known in the art, various means and devices for cleaningthe deposits or residues from the spark plug. Generally speaking, theseprior art devices were either too cumbersome for the average userthereof to carry with him, or they had structural difficulty and failedto stand up under usage. Furthermore, I have found that under constantuse of some of the prior art devices, they fail to provide the necessaryremoval action in order to positively remove these deposits from withinthe spark plug surfaces. Their short duration of usefulness is deplored.

The present invention overcomes these prior art deficiencies in that itis physically a small article of manufacture which is capable ofremoving through positive action, the deposits from within the sparkplug. As the article removes the deposits, it continuously receives asharpening of its removal edges. The present invention further providesremoval edges not only along its longitudinal dimension, but also at thetip of its prongs. The latter edges are provided so that the carbondeposits may also be removed at the base of the internal surface atwhich the insulator and the internal surface of the spark plug bodymeet. All removal edges receive a sharpening action from the spark plugbody as they traverse its surface.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an article ofmanufacture for removal of spark plug deposits, which is simple inmanufacture and trouble free in operation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an article ofmanufacture for removal of deposits from within a sparkplug, whichexerts a continuous self-sharp ening action against the spark plugsurface being cleaned, thus retaining the sharpness of its cuttingedges.

It is another object of the present invention to provide in an articleof manufacture for removal of deposits from within a spark plug,strengthened end prongs for deposit removal from the spark plug, toenhance the digging or cutting operation in deposit removal.

It is another object of the present invention to provide in an articleof manufacture for removal of deposits from Within a spark plug, aplurality of V-shaped prongs having cutting edges along its exteriorsurfaces including the pointed radius edges thereof, to enhance thecutting and deposit removal operation of material.

It is another object of the present invention to provide in an articleof manufacture for removal of deposits from within a spark plug, aplurality of prongs formed into a pattern along the circumference of acircle in excess of a semi-circle and less than a complete circle, toenhance the usefulness of said tool by an operator, enabling it to workin areas adjacent the electrode emanating from the spark plug body.

Objects and advantages other than those set forth above will be apparentfrom the following description when read in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective pictorially representing the use andoperation of and including the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side view or" the article of manufacture for removal ofdeposits from within a spark plug;

FIGURE 3 is a front view in elevation of the said article ofmanufacture;

FIGURE 4 is a view of a flat development of the basic unitary article ofmanufacture with its handle removed;

FIGURE 5 is a View in section, through the body of the spark plug andthe insulator, enlarged considerably, to illustrate the use of thearticle and the positioning of its plurality of prongs against the innersurface of the spark plug areas.

Adverting particularly to FIGURE 1, there is shown and exemplified aspark plug construction 10 having an electrode 12 and a center electrode14, and presenting an internal or inner surface 16, upon which thecarbon and other deposits heretofore spoken' of, usually are found to bedeposited. Further exemplified for purposes of explanation only, are apair of operators hands (not numbered) which may employ the article'ofmanu facture for removal of deposits from within a spark plug. Thearticle of manufacture is hereinafter referred to as cleaning tool 18.It should be noted that cleaning tool 18 is physically inserted betweenthe inner surface .16 of spark plug 10, and the center electrode 14. Thecleaning tool 18 is then rotated clockwise, then counter-clockwise, in aback and forth type operation, to eli'ect the removal of carbon, leadoxides and other type deposits which have been deposited on the interiorsurface 16 thus enhancing the usability and operability of the sparkplug.

FIGURES 2 and 3 exemplify the construction of cleaning tool 18 ingreater detail. To further aid in the description of cleaning tool 18,which is shown in FIG- URES 2 and 3 with a handle 24} encompassing ahandle portion 22, the handle 2%} has been removed from the handleportion 22 and illustrated in FIGURE 4 as a fiat or planar developmentof the basic unitary portion of tool 18 without the handle 21 Thus thehandle portion 22 is exposed and the remainder of the tool is simplifiedto aid in its explanation and specification.

Emanating from the handle portion 22 there is a body portion 24extending from the handle portion to a prong portion 26. I prefer inconstructing the tool, to form it as a fiat blank, as shown in FIGURE 4,with the handle portion 22 and the prong portion 26 extending the widthof the tool, as viewed in FIGURE 4, and extending along the width of thetool, and the body section 24 being recessed from the width of the tool.The tool unitary portion 22, 24 and 26 is initially formed as a thinplate, having a slight thickness 28 as shown in FIGURE 3.

Thereafter the plate is formed into a circular pattern lying along thecircumference of a circle, producing the tool 13 as shown in FIGURES 2and 3. In so shaping the fiat developed plate of FIGURE 4, all of theprongs 26 will lie along the circumference of the circle and will thuspresent their edges slightly bowed against the internal surface of thespark plug 10, as shown in FIGURE 5.

The prong portion 26, of course, is the portion of the tool 18 whichefiects the work action to remove the deposits. Prongs 26 are of twotypes. The first, a plurality of inverted V-shaped flexible prongs 3iemanate from the prong portion 26, and extend therefrom in an elongatedpattern presenting prongs having greater longitudinal dimension thanwidth dimension, and being integrally joined at their base 32 as prongportion 26. Integrally formed therewith, and likewise joined at the baseof the prong portion 26 and emanating therefrom, are two end flexibleprongs 34, each of'which has one side thereof continuing the V-shape ofits adjacent prong 3t and the other side thereof perpendicularlyarranged as viewed in FIGURE 4, with respect thereto, and forming theouter edge of the tool 18. The V-shaped prongs 31) together with the endprongs 34 define intermediate adjacent of the prongs, V-shaped depositreceiving areas 36 and 38. Receiving areas 38 intermediate the V-shapedprongs 3%), are provided with a predetermined trough angle 40. TheV-shaped receiving areas 36 intermediate V-shaped prong 3t} and the endprong 34 is provided with a trough angle 42 greater than thepredetermined angle 40; The trough angle 42 is provided with greaterangularity so as to provide enhanced flexibility in each of the endprongs 34. Further, the provision of the greater angularity to supportthe end prong structure aids in its initial cutting and digging actionagainst the deposits on the interior surface 16 of the spark plug 10.

Each of the prongs 3t) and 34 present a plurality of scraping edges 44along their sides and an additional scraping edge 46 at the vertex ofthe V-shape of the prongs 3t 34. Edges 44, and, to a certain degree,edges 46, as applied to remove the deposits from the plug, bear againstthe inner surface 16 and accept from the inner surface of 'the plug 10 aself-sharpening action of the edges, as the removal of the deposits fromthe inner surface of the plug is being effected, and edges 44,particularly, contact Surface 16. This is more readily shown in theenlargement of the plug 10, and cross-sections of the prongs 30, 34, asshown in FIGURE 5. The action of the prongs 30, 34 against the internalsurface 12 of the plug 10 showing how the circular forming of the tool18 causes the prongs 3034 to constantly present their edges 44 to theinterior surface 12 at an attack or cutting angle with respect to theinternal surface 12 due also in part to the slight bowing at 47 ofFIGURE 5.

FIGURE 5 further illustrates the formation of the tool 18 into acircular pattern along the circumference of the circle, as defined bythe interior surface 16 of plug 10, prongs 30, 34 lying substantiallyalong that circumference. The extent of the tool along thiscircumference is an angle 50, in excess of a semi-circularcircumferential dimension of 180 and less than that of a full circle.The body portion 24 is provided with a curved dimension less than thesemi-circular dimension. This is desired in the present invention, sothat the prong portion 26 may readily pass under and beyond theelectrode 16, permitting the body portion 24 to butt against and limitthe furthest rotational movement of the tool in the plug 19. Thus theentire internal surface 16 of the plug 16 will receive the scrapingaction of the prongs 30, 34 to effect deposit removal.

Further, the tool 18 when fully inserted into the spark plug 10, willutilize its tip edges 46 of prongs 3t), 34 to provide the scrapingaction intermediate and at the junction of the internal surface 16 withhe insul or of he 4 center electrode 14, generally shown as circularsurface 52. The prongs 3t 34 as Well as the unitary part of tool 18,including handle portion 22, body portion 24, and

prong portion 26, is preferably constructed of a fully hardenedstainless steel of, for example, between .015 and .020 inch thickness,and preferably less than .028 inch, generally known as Type39'1'Stainless full hard steel, for best flexibility of the tool 18 andthat of its prongs 3t 34.

I prefer also to provide each of the trough angles 46, 42 and the edges46 at the vertex of each of the prongs 30, as with a curved vertexrather than an abrupt vertex with a point, so that the possibility oftearing of the metal is minimized.

To further enhance the use and function of the tool, I provideintermediate the terminating area between the body portion 24 and theprong portion 26, a shoulder area 54 which consists of a generallyreversed curved or ogee shaped edge as shown in FIGURE 4. As tool 13 isoperated in its rotation in plug 16, the surface '54 may come intocontact with the electrode 12 of plug 16. Surface 54 provides for afreely engaging and releasing surface area from the electrode, andprevents binding of the two metal parts, thus enhancing the ease ofoperation of the cleaning tool 18.

The preferred embodiment of the cleaning tool utilizes three prongs 3t)and two end prongs 34, thus providing therebetween four V-shaped depositreceiving areas 3538, being therefore able to produce a tool ofconvenient size for the user thereof.

In operation the tool 18 is inserted into the plug 10, bringing itsprongs 30, 34 to bear against the inner surface 16 of the plug 11). Tool18 is rotated back and forth with respect to the inner surface 16. Theedges 44 cause removal of the deposits from the surface 16, which inturn are received in the receiving areas 36, 38 of the tool 18. The tool18 having completed its action, may be removed therefrom, carrying aportion of the deposits along, in the deposit receiving areas 36, 38,and the remainder may be shaken from the plug 10 by inverting it, andletting the deposits fall out.

The particular embodiment of the invention illustrated and describedherein, is illustrative only, and the invention includes such othermodifications and equivalents as may readily appear to those skilled inthe art, within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An articleof manufacture for the removal of deposits from within aspark plug comprising:

(fl) a plurality of V-shaped flexible prongs joined together at theirbases and having two end flexible prongs associated therewith, said endprongs being positioned one each at opposite extremities of saidplurality of V-shaped prongs and extending in the same direction as theV-shaped prongs, said V-shaped prongs and said end prongs togetherdefining therebetween V-shaped deposit receiving areas for removeddeposits, said receiving areas intermediate the V-shaped prongs having apredetermined trough angle, the V-shaped areas intermediate the endprong and the next adjacent V-shaped prong having a trough angle greaterthan said predetermined trough angle, each of said prongs having ascraping edge extending the length of both sides and around the vertexof the prongs, the prongs being joined at their bases to form in alateral cross-section a portion of a circle, said portion being greaterthan a semi-circular ircumferential dimension and less than a fullcircle;

(2) a body portion having a lateral cross-section chord forming part ofsaid circle, said chord having a dimension less than a semi-circulardimension, said body portion extending in direction oppositely from, andcarrying, said prongs;

(3) a handle portion extend-ing from the body portion for carrying thearticle;

(4) and a handle encompassing the handle portion for use by an operatorin utilizing said article.

2. The invention in accordance With claim 1, in which each of the troughangles is defined by a pair of straight sides meeting at a curvedvertex.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 1 in which said body portionhas a circumferential dimension which is less than the circumferentialdimension of said base portion and said body portion and said baseportion are References Cited in the file of this patent connected to oneanother by a reversed curved edge hav- 10 310441093 UNITED STATESPATENTS Gender Sept. 6, 1921 Tarbox Nov. 6, 1923 Scott May 29, 1928Malchow July 17, 1962

1. AN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE FOR THE REMOVAL OF DEPOSITS FROM WITHIN A SPARK PLUG COMPRISING: (1) A PLURALITY OF V-SHAPED FLEXIBLE PRONGS JOINED TOGETHER AT THEIR BASES AND HAVING TWO END FLEXIBLE PRONGS ASSOCIATED THEREWITH, SAID END PRONGS BEING POSITIONED ONE EACH AT OPPOSITE EXTREMITIES OF SAID PLURALITY OF V-SHAPED PRONGS AND EXTENDING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS THE V-SHAPED PRONGS, SAID V-SHAPED PRONGS AND SAID END PRONGS TOGETHER DEFINING THEREBETWEEN V-SHAPED DEPOSIT RECEIVING AREAS FOR REMOVED DEPOSITS, SAID RECEIVING AREAS INTERMEDIATE THE V-SHAPED PRONGS HAVING A PREDETERMINED TROUGH ANGLE, THE V-SHAPED AREAS INTERMEDIATE THE END PRONG AND THE NEXT ADJACENT V-SHAPED PRONG HAVING A TROUGH ANGLE GREATER THAN SAID PREDETERMINED TROUGH ANGLE, EACH OF SAID PRONGS HAVING A SCRAPING EDGE EXTENDING THE LENGTH OF BOTH SIDES AND AROUND THE VERTEX OF THE PRONGS, THE PRONGS BEING JOINED AT THEIR BASES TO FORM IN A LATERAL CROSS-SECTION A PORTION OF A CIRCLE, SAID PORTION BEING GREATER THAN A SEMI-CIRCULAR CIRCUMFERENTIAL DIMENSION AND LESS THAN A FULL CIRCLE; (2) A BODY PORTION HAVING A LATERAL CROSS-SECTION CHORD FORMING PART OF SAID CIRCLE, SAID CHORD HAVING A DIMENSION LESS THAN A SEMI-CIRCULAR DIMENSION, SAID BODY PORTION EXTENDING IN DIRECTION OPPOSITELY FROM, AND CARRYING, SAID PRONGS; (3) A HANDLE PORTION EXTENDING FROM THE BODY PORTION FOR CARRYING THE ARTICLE; (4) AND A HANDLE ENCOMPASSING THE HANDLE PORTION FOR USE BY AN OPERATOR IN UTILIZING SAID ARTICLE. 